Aircraft status determination based on aircraft transponder signals

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving aircraft transponder signals. Identifying, from among the aircraft transponder signals, a first aircraft transponders signal based on an identifier, wherein the identifier indicates that the first aircraft transponder signal is associated with an aircraft on which the computing system is located. Identifying first location data within the first aircraft transponder signal. Generating second location data by converting the first location data to a format recognizable by a geographic mapping application, where the second location data is readable by the geographic mapping application to permit the geographic mapping application to present a graphical representation of a geographical location of the aircraft as represented by the first location data. Providing the second location data to the geographic mapping application for presentation to a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/819,910, filed Mar. 16, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/988,885, filed May 24, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No.10,636,312, the disclosure of which are expressly incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Onboard flight status systems can be used on aircraft to keep the flightcrew and/or passengers informed about the aircraft's status during aflight. Some flight status systems are integrated into the avionicssystems of the aircraft. However, such systems must conform to FAAregulations and, thus, can be overly complex and expensive. Otheronboard flight status systems are standalone systems. Such systems mayavoid the complexity and expenses associated with integrated systems butcan be inaccurate and unreliable because they are not integrated withthe aircraft but depend on satellite-transmitted signals external to theaircraft, such as GPS signals, to obtain aircraft status.

SUMMARY

Implementations of the present disclosure include methods, systems, andapparatuses for determining aircraft status based on aircrafttransponder signals. More particularly, implementations of the presentdisclosure are directed to determining geographical location of anaircraft based on the transponder signals transmitted by the aircraft.

In general, innovative aspects of the subject matter described in thisspecification can be embodied in methods that include the actions ofreceiving aircraft transponder signals. Identifying, from among theaircraft transponder signals, a first aircraft transponders signal basedon an identifier, wherein the identifier indicates that the firstaircraft transponder signal is associated with an aircraft on which thecomputing system is located. Identifying first location data within thefirst aircraft transponder signal. Generating second location data byconverting the first location data to a format recognizable by ageographic mapping application, where the second location data isreadable by the geographic mapping application to permit the geographicmapping application to present a graphical representation of ageographical location of the aircraft as represented by the firstlocation data. Providing the second location data to the geographicmapping application for presentation to a user. Other implementations ofthis aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computerprograms, configured to perform the actions of the methods, encoded oncomputer storage devices. These and other implementations may eachoptionally include one or more of the following features.

Some implementations include the action of extracting the first aircrafttransponder signal from the aircraft transponder signals.

In some implementations, extracting the first aircraft transpondersignal includes filtering out information of one or more aircrafts fromthe aircraft transponder signals, where each of the one or moreaircrafts are different from the aircraft on which the computing systemis located.

In some implementations, the identifier is included in a header of thefirst aircraft transponder signal.

In some implementations, the geographic mapping application displays ageographical presentation of the second location data.

In some implementations, providing the second location data to thegeographic mapping application includes broadcasting the second locationdata to one or more computing systems through a local communicationnetwork within the aircraft.

In some implementations, the first aircraft transponder signal has beentransmitted by the first aircraft.

In some implementations, the aircraft transponder signal includes anADS-B Out signal.

In some implementations, the identifier is provided by a user.

In some implementations, converting the first location data includesdetermining that the aircraft is on the ground, and in response,determining the geographical location of the aircraft from amongmultiple possible geographical regions identified by the first locationdata.

In some implementations, the geographical location is determined basedon comparing the multiple geographical regions identified by the firstlocation data, and a list of airports.

In some implementations, the geographical location is location of anairport with a shortest distance from at least one region among themultiple possible geographical regions identified by the first locationdata.

In some implementations, the geographical location is location of anairport within a predetermined distance of at least one region among themultiple possible geographical regions identified by the first locationdata.

In some implementations, geographical coordinates of the multiplepossible geographical regions differ from each other by a factor of aparticular angle along at least one of a longitude direction and alatitude direction.

Particular implementations of the subject matter described in thisspecification can be implemented so as to realize one or more of thefollowing advantages. Implementations provide improved accuracy andreliability of existing onboard aircraft status systems that do notintegrate into aircraft avionics. For example, implementations do notrely on satellite signals (e.g., global positioning system (GPS)signals) to determine aircraft flight status which can be severelyattenuated by the aircraft's fuselage. Determining the aircraft's status(e.g., geographical location) based on weak or even unavailable signalscan be prone to errors. Implementations of the present disclosure mayimprove accuracy, availability, and integrity of determining aircraftstatus by providing alternative techniques for aircraft statusdetermination. For example, implementations determine the status of theaircraft based on transponder signals transmitted by the aircraft. In sodoing, implementations can use data obtained by the aircraft's highaccuracy avionics equipment and certified onboard GPS withoutinterfacing physically with the avionics systems. Consequently,implementations may reduce the complexity and improve accuracy ofonboard aircraft status systems. Furthermore, implementations mayimprove aircraft safety by reducing risks that a malfunctioning onboardstatus system may interfere with the operation of the aircraft'savionics systems.

The details of one or more implementations of the present disclosure areset forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Otherfeatures and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent fromthe description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an example onboard aircraft status system according tothe implementations of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example onboard aircraft statussystem in accordance with the implementations of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of an example process according to theimplementations of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of the present disclosure are generally directed toonboard status monitoring and display systems for aircraft.Specifically, implementations are directed to an onboard aircraft statussystem that can generate aircraft status data based on an aircraft's owntransponder signals. Because aircraft transponder signals include highlyaccurate aircraft status data from an aircraft's avionics systems andsensors, implementations can provide reliable and accurate own-shipstatus displays without being physically integrated into the aircraft'savionics systems. For example, an onboard aircraft status system canreceive aircraft transponder signals, which may include signals frommultiple aircrafts. The system can process the transponder signals toidentify the signals that were transmitted by the aircraft on which thesystem is located. For example, aircraft transponder signals can includeregulated aircraft transponder signals such as automatic dependentsurveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) signals. The system can extract own-shipstatus data from the transponder signals for use in generating graphicaldisplays that represent the aircraft's status. Examples of the aircraftstatus data (can also be referred to as “status” or “own-ship status”)can include, but are not limited to, geographic position (e.g.,longitude, latitude), altitude, speed, heading, and rate ofclimb/descent.

Implementations of the present disclosure are described in furtherdetail with reference to an example context. The example context is anaviation context. It is contemplated, however, that implementations ofthe present disclosure can be realized in other appropriate contexts.For example, crew status systems may be applicable in othertransportation and shipping industries. For example, the systems andprocesses described herein may be implemented on ships by using theships Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder signals.

FIG. 1 depicts an example onboard aircraft status system 102 accordingto the implementations of the present disclosure. The status system 102is located on an aircraft 100 and configured to provide statusinformation about the aircraft 100 to personnel on the aircraft (e.g.,flight crew and/or passengers). In one example, the aircraft statussystem can be implemented on an electronic flight bag (EFB). Forexample, the status system 102 can be used to present status informationabout aircraft 100 to flight crew or passengers through display systemsinternal to the aircraft 100. In some implementations, aircraft statussystem 102 is configured to broadcast status information about aircraft100 to one or more display systems 104. For example, aircraft statussystem 102 can broadcast data to a display system 104 through aninternal computer network (e.g., a WiFi network) on aircraft 100. Thedisplay system 104 can be a user computing device (e.g., smartphone,laptop, tablet, etc.), a flight crew computing device (e.g., anelectronic flight bag), or an in-flight display system including adisplay screen to display geographic location of the aircraft to thecrew or to passengers, etc.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the onboard aircraft status system102. The aircraft status system 102 can be a portable computing device(e.g., an EFB, or tablet computer). Status system 102 includes one ormore processor(s) 252, a data storage 254, a network interface 256, adisplay 258, and a radio 260. The radio 260 can be an external devicethat can be connected to the status system 102 (e.g., a dedicated radioreceiver, demodulator, SDR, or combinations thereof), or the radio canbe integrated into the status system 102. The radio is configured toreceive aircraft transponder signals. For example, the radio 260 can beimplemented as a software-defined radio (SDR) tuned to the channel ofthe aircraft's 100 transponder and configured to demodulate thetransponder signals. The data store 254 can include program instructions(e.g., one or more software applications) for processing the aircraft's100 transponder signals according to the methods described below. Thenetwork interface 256 can be, for example, a WiFi interface to broadcastaircraft status information to other computing devices (e.g., displaysystems 104) within the aircraft 100.

In some implementations, the aircraft status system 102 can be providedas a kit. For example, the aircraft status system 102 can be provided asan upgrade kit to improve the performance of existing flight trackingsystems such as existing EFBs. An example aircraft status upgrade kitcan include, but is not limited to, radio 260, antenna 106 (e.g., anADS-B out antenna tuned to ADS-B out frequency of, for example, 1090MHz), and an aircraft status system software application. For example,in an aircraft status system upgrade kit radio 260 can be implemented asan SDR on a USB dongle to provide an existing EFB with the ability toreceive aircraft transponder signals. Furthermore, an aircraft statussystem software application can be provided for installation on the EFB.The aircraft status system software application can process thetransponder signals according to the processes described below togenerate data that is compatible with flight tracking software on theEFB.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in operation the aircraft status system 102receives transponder signal 110. Transponder signal 110 is transmittedfrom one or more transponder antennas 120 on aircraft 100. For example,the transponder antenna 120 can be located on the fuselage of theaircraft. In some implementations, the transponder antenna 120 is anADS-B transmitter. The status system 102 receives the transpondersignals 110 by the antenna 106. The antenna 106 can be integrated intothe computing device 250 (FIG. 2 ), or can be a separate elementpluggable to the computing device. For example, the antenna 106 can beintegrated into the radio 260, or can be a separate element connectableto the radio 260. The antenna 106 can be an omnidirectional antenna,such as a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, etc. In some examples, theantenna 106 is compact, e.g., with a few inches length.

The transponder signal 110 includes data indicating the status of theaircraft 100. For example, the transponder signal 110 can be anautomatic dependent surveillance—broadcast (ADS-B) signal transmitted.ADS-B Out signals transmitted by the transponder antennas 120 can bereceived by the radio 260 (FIG. 2 ) of the aircraft status system 100.The transponder signal 110 encodes aircraft status data obtained fromthe aircraft's onboard avionics systems. For example, a transponder 108can be coupled to the aircrafts avionics to collect the aircraft statusdata from the avionics systems and encode the data in the transpondersignal. For example, the transponder signal can encode aircraft statusdata including, but not limited to, location data (e.g.,latitude/longitude), speed, heading, altitude, rate of climb/descent,aircraft identifier (e.g. call sign, tail number, squawk code, etc.), ora combination thereof. The transponder data may be more accurate than,for example, GPS received on a standalone flight status system. Thetransponder signal, by contrast, has a much higher power than a GPSsatellite signal inside the aircraft's fuselage and relies on theaircraft's own highly sensitive avionics as the source of the datacontained therein. Therefore, by making use of the aircraft's owntransponder signals, the aircraft status system 102 can function withthe precision and accuracy of aircraft's avionics but without thecomplexity and potential safety risks noted above.

The aircraft status system 102 demodulates the received transpondersignals. For example, the radio 260 can demodulate the receivedtransponder signals. The radio 260 can be configured to receive ADS-Bsignals. For example, the radio 260 can be tuned to the frequency of thetransponder signals and programmed to perform an appropriatedemodulation (e.g., FM, AM, PM, etc.) on the received transpondersignals.

The aircraft status system 102 determines the status of the aircraft 100based on the received transponder signal 110. In some examples, theaircraft status system 102 may need to identify transponder signal 110(of aircraft 100) from among multiple received transponder signals 112.For example, the aircraft status system 102 may receive multipletransponder signals from different aircrafts. For example, the receivedtransponder signals 112 may include transponder signals 110, 132, and136 transmitted from the aircrafts 100, 130, and 134, respectively. Insome implementations, the aircraft status system 102 can extract orfilter out data received from one or more transponder signals from otheraircraft (e.g., aircraft 130 and 134). For example, the aircraft statussystem 102 can format the status information of the other aircraft fordisplay along with the status information for aircraft 100.

To identify the transponder signal 110, the aircraft status system 102can locate an aircraft identifier of signal 110 within the transponderreceived transponder signals 112. For example, the identifier can beassociated with the aircraft 100 to identify its transponder signal 110.For example, the aircraft status system 102 can identify the transpondersignal 110 based on a header included in the data of the receivedtransponder signals 112. Each header includes an aircraft identifier(e.g., tail number, call sign, etc.) to identify the aircraft that hastransmitted the respective signal. For example, the data of the receivedtransponder signals 112 can include data of the transponder signals 110,132, and 136. Each of these transponder signals can include anidentifier specific to the aircraft that transmitted the respectivetransponder signal. Based on the identifiers, aircraft status system 102can determine the transponder signal that is specific to the aircraft100 (e.g., transponder signal 110) and the associated aircraft statusdata. The transponder signals that are not specific to the aircraft 100can be filtered out (e.g., transponder signals 132, 136).

In some implementations, the aircraft status system 102 uses anidentifier filter to identify data associated with the aircraft 100 fromamong the received transponder signals. The aircraft status system 102may store a copy of an identifier associated with the aircraft 100,e.g., in data storage 254 and compare the stored identifier with one ormore headers that are included in the received transponder signals, toidentify data corresponding to the aircraft 100. For example, in aportable implementation of the aircraft status system 102 (e.g., as anEFB), a user (e.g., a flight crewmember) may input the identifier ofaircraft 100 during pre-flight procedures. During operation, theaircraft status system 102 can identify the transponder signal 110 ofaircraft 100 by comparing headers of received transponder signals 112 tothe stored aircraft identifier.

The aircraft status system 102 can determine the flight status ofaircraft 100 (e.g., “own-ship status”) by parsing the data contained inthe identified transponder signal 110. For example, the transpondersignal 110 can include information on aircraft status such as, but notlimited to, location (e.g., latitude, longitude), speed, altitude,heading, accuracy of GPS signal, aircraft identification (e.g., tailnumber, call sign, etc.), squawk code, rate of climb, rate of decent,emergency codes, etc. The aircraft status system 102 can parse the dataof the transponder signal 110 to extract desired status data. In someexamples, the aircraft status system 102 parses the data to obtainaircraft status data that is relevant to displaying the aircraft's 100location on a graphical map of the flight plan. For example, theaircraft status system 102 can parse the data to obtain geographicallocation data (e.g., latitude, longitude) of the aircraft 100. In someexamples, location data can include aircraft speed and heading, forexample, to indicate the aircraft's speed and heading on the graphicalmap. In some examples, the portions of the data that are unrelated tothe particular status (e.g., unrelated to the geographical location) arefiltered out.

The aircraft status system 102 generates aircraft status data that iscompatible with a status display application. For example, thetransponder signal data may be in a unique format that is incompatiblewith a graphical mapping application (e.g., a GPS based mappingapplication). The aircraft status system 102 can convert the status dataof the geographical location into a format that is recognizable by agraphical mapping application. For example, the aircraft status system102 can convert location data from the transponder signal 110 into a GPSdata format that is accepted by a display application.

The aircraft status system 102 can then provide the converted data tothe display application for presentation on a local display (e.g.,display 258), broadcast the data over a local wireless network todisplay systems 104, or both. For example, a mapping application can beinstalled on the aircraft status system 102. For example, theprocessor(s) 252 can provide the converted status data the mappingapplication for presentation on display screen 258 of aircraft statussystem 102. In some implementations, the mapping application isinstalled on a display device 104, different from the status system 102.For example, the network interface 256 can broadcast the particularstatus of the second format for presentation on the display device 104.The data can be broadcasted (114) through a local communication networkwithin the aircraft 100 (e.g., a WiFi). Examples of devices that canpresent the aircraft status include, but are not limited to, ElectronicFlight Bags (EFB), tablets, smart phones, and laptops. Such devices canbe located in any part of the aircraft, including cockpit, passengerseats, fuselage walls, etc. Examples of the applications used forpresenting the status of the aircraft include Airport Moving Map (AMM),geographic mapping application, etc. The application can present thestatus to a user, or to another computing device for further processing.

In some implementations, the aircraft status system 102 can convert thetransponder status data into a data format recognizable by “smart cargo”devices. Smart cargo can include shipping containers that includecontrol systems to regulate environmental factors of the cargo storedinside. For example, smart cargo systems can monitor environmentalfactors inside a shipping container such as air pressure, humidity,temperature, light, location, etc. In some examples, the aircraft statussystem 102 can broadcast aircraft status information such as altitude tosmart cargo devices in order for the smart cargo devices to regulatemicro environmental conditions within the cargo package. In someexamples, the smart cargo devices can control micro environmentalconditions inside the cargo package in response to aircraft status datafrom the aircraft status system 102. In some implementations, anaircraft status system 102 can coupled to a smart cargo device tocontrol environmental conditions of the one or more cargo packets basedon the received transponder signals. For example, a smart cargo devicecan estimate a time of arrival of the associated cargo package at anairport based on the location of the aircraft 100 location indicated bythe transponder signals. The smart cargo device may be capable oftransmitting a message to a recipient of the package indicating theestimated arrival time.

In some implementations, the transponder signal characteristics may varydepending on whether the aircraft is in flight or on the ground. Forexample, aircraft location data may be less detailed when the aircraftis on the ground than when the aircraft is in flight. For example, onthe ground, the transponder signal may transmit location data in ashortened format (e.g., using fewer digits). Without correlation fromother sources, the location data transmitted while the aircraft is onthe ground may map to multiple ambiguous locations within the geographicmapping application. In other words, the geographic mapping applicationmay require complete longitude and latitude coordinates, whereas thetransponder data may truncate coordinates (e.g., leaving off anindication of north or south latitude) because all airport trafficcontrol systems receiving the ground transponder signal would bepre-programed to recognize which hemisphere the aircraft is located inwhile on the runway.

Accordingly, transponder signals can be processed differently based onthe operation of the aircraft 100. For example, when the aircraft is onthe ground, the aircraft status system 102 can identify the aircraft'sgeographical location from among the ambiguous geographical regions. Thelist of geographical regions can include one or more regions associatedwith a GPS data in the transponder signal 110. In some examples, thelongitude or the latitude (or both) of the regions in the list differfrom respective longitude or latitude (or both) indicated in the GPSdata by a factor of a particular angle. For example, latitude of eachregion may differ from the GPS data's latitude by a factor of ninetydegrees (for example, a first region in the list may have the samelongitude as the GPS data's longitude, and a latitude of the GPS dataplus ninety degrees).

In some examples, the geographical location of the aircraft 100 isdetermined based on comparing the one or more regions in the list ofpossible geographical regions, to location of one or more airports (orairfields). For example, the location of the one or more airports can beretrieved from the data storage 254. In some examples, the geographicallocation of the aircraft 100 is determined to be an airport that iswithin a particular distance from at least one of the regions in thelist. For example, when the aircraft is on the ground but the GPS datadoes not match geographical location of an airport, the regions in thelist can be checked to find an airport within a particular distance(e.g., one mile) of at least one region in the list. In some examples,the first region that is within the particular distance of an airport ismarked, and the airport is determined as the geographical location ofthe aircraft 100. In some examples, the airport that has the closestdistance from at least one of the regions in the list is determined asthe geographical location of the aircraft 100.

As explained above, in some implementations, the status system 102performs demodulation and/or data processing. In some implementations,the status system 102 forwards the transponder signals to a processingdevice capable of performing demodulation and/or data processing. Insome examples, the status system 102 acts as a repeater, receiving andre-transmitting data extracted from the transponder signals 112 to theprocessing device. For example, the processing device can be pairedwith, or connected to (wired or wirelessly) the status system 102.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of an example process 300 according to theimplementations of the present disclosure. For example, the process 300can be performed by the onboard aircraft status system 102 located onthe aircraft 100.

Transponder signal(s) are received by a computing system (302). Forexample, the status system 102 receives the transponder signals 110,132, and 136 through the antenna 106 and/or the radio 260. Thetransponder signal(s) can include ADS-B Out signals transmitted by oneor more aircrafts.

A first transponder signal is identified among the transponder signal(s)(304). For example, the first transponder signal can be associated withan aircraft on which the computing system is located. For example, thetransponder signal 110 associated with the aircraft 100 can beidentified among a set of received transponder signals 112. In someexamples, the first transponder signal is transmitted by the aircraft onwhich the computing system is located. For example, the transpondersignal 110 is transmitted by transponder antenna 120 of the aircraft100. In some implementations, the first transponder signal is identifiedfrom among the transponder signal(s) based on an identifier. Theidentifier indicates that the first transponder signal is associatedwith the aircraft on which the computing system is located. Examples ofthe identifier include, but are not limited to, tail number, call sign,or ICAO address/Mode-S code of the aircraft. The identifier can beinputted to the aircraft status system 102 by a user, and be stored inthe data storage 254.

In some implementations, the first transponder signal is extracted fromamong the transponder signal(s). For example, the first transpondersignal can be the transponder signal 110. For example, the receivedtransponder signals 112 are demodulated, data of the transponder signal110 transmitted by the aircraft 100 (on which the status system 102 islocated) is retained, and data of transponder signals of other aircrafts(e.g., transponder signals 132 and 136) can be filtered out.

First data is identified within the first transponder signal (306). Insome examples, the first transponder signal is decoded and first data isextracted. In some examples, data of the first transponder signal isparsed to obtain the first data. The first data can include theaircraft's geographical location (e.g., the aircraft's latitude,longitude, or a combination thereof).

A second data is generated by converting the first data to a formatrecognizable by a geographic mapping application (308). For example, theextracted first data can be converted to a format recognizable by ageographic mapping application. In some examples, the first data has afirst format that is converted to a second format recognizable by theapplication. For example, the data on an ADS-B Out signal can beconverted to a format recognizable by a mapping application. Forexample, the second format can be a global positioning system (GPS) dataformat, such as NMEA, GGA sentences, etc. Converting the data format maybe performed through one or more data transformations. For example, thedata of the ADS-B signals may be transformed into an intermediate format(e.g., a format based on metric units), and from the intermediate formatto a format recognizable by the application.

The converted data is provided for display to a user (310). For example,the second data location can be presented by the geographic mappingapplication. In some examples, the second data is presented (e.g.,displayed) to a user by the computing device (e.g., status system 102).In some examples, the data is provided to a second computing device forpresentation. For example, the second data can be broadcasted to thesecond computing device, for example, through a local communicationnetwork. An EFB device, a tablet, a laptop, or any other computingdevice located in the aircraft can present the geographical location ofthe aircraft. The second data can be displayed through a graphicallocation presentation on the mapping application. The second data can bepresented as a tuple including longitude, latitude, or a combinationthereof.

The implementations of the present disclosure can be applied on any typeof aircraft that transmits transponder signals that include informationon the aircraft's status. Examples of such aircrafts can include, butnot limited to, airplane (e.g., passenger or cargo airplanes, businessjets, etc.), helicopters, seaplanes, airships. The implementations canalso be expanded to any other form of transportation vehicles capable oftransmitting transponder signals and receiving the transponder signalsinside the vehicle. For example, the implementations may be expanded toocean liners, trains, trucks, etc.

Implementations of the subject matter and the functional operationsdescribed in this specification can be implemented in digital electroniccircuitry, in tangibly-implemented computer software or firmware, incomputer hardware, including the structures disclosed in thisspecification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations ofone or more of them. Implementations of the subject matter described inthis specification can be implemented as one or more computer programs,i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on atangible non transitory program carrier for execution by, or to controlthe operation of, data processing apparatus. The computer storage mediumcan be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storagesubstrate, a random or serial access memory device, or a combination ofone or more of them.

The term “data processing apparatus” refers to data processing hardwareand encompasses all kinds of apparatus, devices, and machines forprocessing data, including, by way of example, a programmable processor,a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus can alsobe or further include special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a FPGA (field programmable gate array), or anASIC (application specific integrated circuit). In some implementations,the data processing apparatus and/or special purpose logic circuitry maybe hardware-based and/or software-based. The apparatus can optionallyinclude code that creates an execution environment for computerprograms, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocolstack, a database management system, an operating system, or acombination of one or more of them. The present disclosure contemplatesthe use of data processing apparatuses with or without conventionaloperating systems, for example Linux, UNIX, Windows, Mac OS, Android,iOS or any other suitable conventional operating system.

A computer program, which may also be referred to or described as aprogram, software, a software application, a module, a software module,a script, or code, can be written in any form of programming language,including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative orprocedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as astand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unitsuitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, butneed not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be storedin a portion of a file that holds other programs or data, e.g., one ormore scripts stored in a markup language document, in a single filededicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files,e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions ofcode. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computeror on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributedacross multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.While portions of the programs illustrated in the various figures areshown as individual modules that implement the various features andfunctionality through various objects, methods, or other processes, theprograms may instead include a number of submodules, third partyservices, components, libraries, and such, as appropriate. Conversely,the features and functionality of various components can be combinedinto single components as appropriate.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification can beperformed by one or more programmable computers executing one or morecomputer programs to perform functions by operating on input data andgenerating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performedby, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logiccircuitry, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a FPGA (fieldprogrammable gate array), or an ASIC (application specific integratedcircuit.

Computers suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, can be based on general or special purposemicroprocessors or both, or any other kind of central processing unit.Generally, a central processing unit will receive instructions and datafrom a read only memory or a random access memory or both. The essentialelements of a computer are a central processing unit for performing orexecuting instructions and one or more memory devices for storinginstructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or beoperatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both,one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic,magneto optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need nothave such devices. Moreover, a computer can be embedded in anotherdevice, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), amobile audio or video player, a game console, a Global PositioningSystem (GPS) receiver, or a portable storage device, e.g., a universalserial bus (USB) flash drive, to name just a few.

Computer readable media (transitory or non-transitory, as appropriate)suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include allforms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by wayof example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flashmemory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removabledisks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The memorymay store various objects or data, including caches, classes,frameworks, applications, backup data, jobs, web pages, web pagetemplates, database tables, repositories storing business and/or dynamicinformation, and any other appropriate information including anyparameters, variables, algorithms, instructions, rules, constraints, orreferences thereto. Additionally, the memory may include any otherappropriate data, such as logs, policies, security or access data,reporting files, as well as others. The processor and the memory can besupplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, implementations of the subjectmatter described in this specification can be implemented on a computerhaving a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquidcrystal display), or plasma monitor, for displaying information to theuser and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball,by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds ofdevices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; forexample, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensoryfeedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback;and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic,speech, or tactile input. In addition, a computer can interact with auser by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device thatis used by the user; for example, by sending web pages to a web browseron a user's client device in response to requests received from the webbrowser.

Implementations of the subject matter described in this specificationcan be implemented in a computing system that includes a back endcomponent, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middlewarecomponent, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front endcomponent, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface ora Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementationof the subject matter described in this specification, or anycombination of one or more such back end, middleware, or front endcomponents. The components of the system can be interconnected by anyform or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communicationnetwork. Examples of communication networks include a local area network(LAN), a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet, and a wirelesslocal area network (WLAN).

The computing system can include clients and servers. A client andserver are generally remote from each other and typically interactthrough a communication network. The relationship of client and serverarises by virtue of computer programs running on the respectivecomputers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyinvention or on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather asdescriptions of features that may be specific to particularimplementations of particular inventions. Certain features that aredescribed in this specification in the context of separateimplementations can also be implemented in combination in a singleimplementation. Conversely, various features that are described in thecontext of a single implementation can also be implemented in multipleimplementations separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a sub-combination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring that such operationsbe performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, orthat all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirableresults. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processingmay be helpful. Moreover, the separation of various system modules andcomponents in the implementations described above should not beunderstood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and itshould be understood that the described program components and systemscan generally be integrated together in a single software product orpackaged into multiple software products.

While this document contains many specific implementation details, theseshould not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may beclaimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific toparticular implementations or embodiments. Certain features that aredescribed in this specification in the context of separate embodimentscan also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment.Conversely, various features that are described in the context of asingle embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodimentsseparately or in any suitable sub combination. Moreover, althoughfeatures may be described above as acting in certain combinations andeven initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimedcombination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and theclaimed combination may be directed to a sub combination or variation ofa sub combination.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic flight bag (EFB) comprising: aradio receiver tuned to receive aircraft transponder signals; one ormore processors in electrical communication with the radio receiver; andone or more computer-readable storage devices coupled to the one or moreprocessors and having instructions stored thereon which, when executedby the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors toperform operations comprising: receiving an aircraft transponder signalassociated with an aircraft on which the EFB is located; identifyingfirst location data and altitude data within the aircraft transpondersignal; generating second location data by converting the first locationdata to a format recognizable by a geographic mapping application, thesecond location data being readable by the geographic mappingapplication; and broadcasting, through a local communication networkwithin the aircraft, the second location data and the altitude data toone or more smart cargo systems.
 2. The EFB of claim 1, wherein theoperations further comprise presenting, on a display of the EFB, agraphical representation of a geographical location of the aircraftbased on the second location data.
 3. The EFB of claim 1, wherein theoperations further comprise broadcasting the second location data to oneor more display systems through a local communication network within theaircraft.
 4. The EFB of claim 1, wherein the first location data has afirst format when the aircraft is in flight and a second format when theaircraft is on a ground, the second format being shorter than the firstformat.
 5. The EFB of claim 1, wherein altitude data enables the smartcargo system to adjust an air pressure within a cargo container.
 6. TheEFB of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise extracting theaircraft transponder signal from a plurality of aircraft transpondersignals by filtering out information of one or more aircrafts from theplurality of aircraft transponder signals, each of the one or moreaircrafts differing from the aircraft on which the EFB is located. 7.The EFB of claim 6, wherein the filtering out information of one or moreaircrafts from the plurality of aircraft transponder signals comprisesusing an identifier filter to identify data associated with the aircrafton which the EFB is located.
 8. The EFB of claim 7, wherein theidentifier is included in a header of the aircraft transponder signal.9. The EFB of claim 7, wherein the identifier is provided by a systemuser.
 10. The EFB of claim 1, wherein the aircraft transponder signalcomprises an ADS-B Out signal.
 11. The EFB of claim 1, wherein theaircraft transponder signal has been transmitted by the aircraft onwhich the EFB is located.
 12. An electronic flight bag (EFB) upgrade kitcomprising: a radio receiver tuned to receive aircraft transpondersignals, wherein the radio receiver is configured to be installed in anEFB; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediastoring instructions which, when executed by one or more processors ofthe EFB, cause the one or more processors to perform operationscomprising: receiving associated with an aircraft on which the EFB islocated; identifying first location data and altitude data within theaircraft transponder signal; generating second location data byconverting the first location data to a format recognizable by ageographic mapping application, the second location data being readableby the geographic mapping application; and broadcasting, through a localcommunication network within the aircraft, the second location data andthe altitude data to one or more smart cargo systems.
 13. The EFB kit ofclaim 12, wherein the operations further comprise presenting, on adisplay of the EFB, a graphical representation of a geographicallocation of the aircraft based on the second location data.
 14. The EFBkit of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise broadcastingthe second location data to one or more display systems through a localcommunication network within the aircraft.
 15. The EFB kit of claim 12,wherein the first location data has a first format when the aircraft isin flight and a second format when the aircraft is on a ground, thesecond format being shorter than the first format.
 16. The EFB kit ofclaim 12, wherein altitude data enables the smart cargo system to adjustan air pressure within a cargo container.
 17. The EFB kit of claim 12,wherein the operations further comprise extracting the aircrafttransponder signal from a plurality of aircraft transponder signals byfiltering out information of one or more aircrafts from the plurality ofaircraft transponder signals, each of the one or more aircraftsdiffering from the aircraft on which the EFB is located.
 18. Anelectronic flight bag (EFB) upgrade kit comprising: a radio receivertuned to receive aircraft transponder signals, wherein the radioreceiver comprises a USB dongle configured to be installed in an EFB;and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storinginstructions which, when executed by one or more processors of the EFB,cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:receiving associated with an aircraft on which the EFB is located;identifying, first location data and altitude data within the aircrafttransponder signal; generating second location data by converting thefirst location data to a format recognizable by a geographic mappingapplication, the second location data being readable by the geographicmapping application; and broadcasting, through a local communicationnetwork within the aircraft, the second location data and the altitudedata to one or more smart cargo systems.
 19. The EFB upgrade kit ofclaim 18, wherein altitude data enables the smart cargo system to adjustan air pressure within a cargo container.
 20. The EFB upgrade kit ofclaim 18, wherein the radio receiver comprises a software defined radioinstalled on the USB dongle.